The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development made significant strides in advancing the lives of Jamaicans despite COVID-19 pandemic.
Board of Supervision
• More than 160,000 meals provided to homeless persons and care packages distributed to thousands of individuals classified as the “outdoor poor” through the Poor Relief Department.
• A $19 million Drop-In Centre for homeless persons in Falmouth, Trelawny, officially opened.
• Three houses, built at a cost of $1.8 million each under the Government’s Indigent Housing Programme, were handed over to beneficiaries in Trelawny and Portland.
• A two-bedroom house was handed over to young Raheem Powell and his family, while a presentation was made to a former Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) member, who has fallen on hard times.
• A 100-bed shelter for homeless persons was opened on Church Street, downtown Kingston.
• A soup kitchen was also established on Church Street, Kingston to support the Government’s feeding programme for vulnerable persons.
• Cleaning and sanitising carried out at the Golden Age Home in Kingston and infirmaries islandwide.
• Nine wash stations installed at the St. James Infirmary to promote frequent hand washing in response to COVID-19.
• More than 200 temporary workers recruited to continue the cleaning and sanitisation exercise being carried out at infirmaries and golden age homes islandwide.
Municipal Corporations
• $140 million allocated to Councillors islandwide to aid in fighting COVID-19 at the community level.
• Comprehensive cleaning and sanitising of public spaces islandwide undertaken to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
• $20 million allocated to clear roads blocked by landslides caused by flood rains.
• Custos of St. James, Hon. Bishop Conrad Pitkin, issued 450 reusable masks to vendors and residents.
• 450 care packages distributed to residents of Canterbury, Albion Lane, William Street and surrounding communities in Montego Bay, by the St. James Municipal Corporation and United Nations (UN)-Habitat.
• The Westmoreland Municipal Corporation relocated to a new administrative building on Murray Street, Savanna-la-Mar.
• The St. Ann Municipal Corporation launched a $10-million Dengue Response Programme.
• $8.5 million spent to complete the Black River Market in St. Elizabeth.
Drought Mitigation
• $120 million provided
to truck water to communities adversely affected by drought, while a number of residents received 500-gallon water tanks.
• $11 million spent to construct water shop in Tryall, St. Elizabeth.
• $50 million allocated to truck water to municipalities islandwide as part of the national COVID-19 response.
• Several 1,000-gallon tanks installed in six communities in St. James, through a partnership with Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL).
